Collecting the Wheat Penny

Coin collectors will often stress that anyone who has the hobby of collecting coins should have the “Wheat Penny” in his collection. Wheatback, Wheatie, Strawpeny and Wheat Head are some of the names given to these coins. The US Mint had produced this one-cent coin from 1909 till 1958.

The Beginning

Victor David Brenner, a well-known sculptor of New York, crafted the design of these coins, who inserted his initials of V.D.B. into the coin. These initials appeared on the first coins until it came to an end almost as soon as the public outcry began. There were approximately 484,000 such coins minted, that is the main rationale behind these coins fetching more than $100′s of dollars. If you are lucky enough to posses even one of such minted coin it could worth nearly $12,000. These 1909 San Francisco minted coins are the prestigious wheat pennies to posses in one’s collection.

Even though lower in value, the 1909-S VDB wheat penny and the 1914-D wheat penny, can obtain as much as $5,000. Both these kinds of coins had some inaccuracies in them, which is why they still demand such a price. Nowadays, such kinds of coins found their place either in the personal and private galleries of people or in the hands of coin dealers.

Even in recent times we come across a wheat coin in our regular circulation. These coins are by and large not the prestigious or the exceptional wheat coins, however even they will fetch a good price in the passage of time. The best example is the 1922 wheat penny without a mint mark. This was because the dye used to make them was very weak; some pennies are found bearing a stamp D on them while the same is missing on others.

1943 Wheat Penny

The 1943 penny, made from bronze or zinc coated steel is regarded as one of the most unique pennies. These were specially designed at the time of Second World War, due to the war quota of copper. The collectors of wheat pennies who collect each year regards the 1943 steel penny to be an inevitable for any gallery. The mint modified the composition back to that of copper, tin and zinc in 1944.

1955 Double Die

The double dye 1955 wheat penny is attention-grabbing. You find a distinctive dual image of President Lincoln on these coins. The coins are regarded as faulty coins as it was not assumed to turn out in this manner. Without this coin the real wheat penny assortment is viewed as incomplete.

From a year regarded as a “key date” or “semi-key date”, wheat pennies, in any other year are valued at three times their value. In order to get an exact idea of the worth of a wheat penny one can have a glance at various online websites. Depending on the person, who is evaluating a wheat penny, value of a penny will vary. The prices offered by a retailer will be on a lower side than that of the person who is the collector of such coins. Even the local library will be of great use, it will not only provide you a complete history on these mesmerizing pennies but will also gives you some guidance about their valuation.

Alan Brenner maintains WheatCoins.com. If your looking for more information on wheat penny such as the 1909 wheat penny pay us a visit.

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